Duality
by astsweetheart18
Summary: What happens when you cannot tell the difference between dreams and reality?
1. Chapter 1

Author's Note – Of course I do not own this. But, the muse demanded it be written so journey down the rabbit-hole and see what you may find.

In that wonderful place where dreams and reality are blurred, she stood there waiting. Whom was she waiting for? The name was on the tip of her tongue. She couldn't remember, but she knew she must continue wait. So, she waited…patiently, still as a statue whilst the world around her remained blurred and inconstant. The tingle at the nape of her neck told her, without seeing, that he was there….finally. She smiled and turned her head, looking over her shoulder as his hand touched her shoulder. "You came," she breathed out, savoring the feel from the warm touch.

"You waited," he answered, tracing a finger up to the side of her neck.

"Am I dreaming?" she wondered aloud, as she leaned into the touch.

"When are you not?" he countered, stroking her delicate jaw line.

"Do I know you?" He was so familiar to her; she knew she should know him, but she couldn't quite place it.

"You have forgotten," he sounded sad, as his fingertips brushed her cheek.

"I…didn't mean to?" she stammered out, closing her eyes against the pain she could sense in his voice. Pain that she had caused somehow.

"You could have stayed," his lips were next to her ear, while his fingers went down to grasp her small, white hand in his large, gloved ones. The gloves were old and tattered, the fingers cut showing the pale digits beneath. They were calloused and scarred.

"I had to leave…I had…I had to do something" her distress was increasing, and she didn't know why.

"You were afraid," he stated, pulling her flush against his taller frame. He held her immobile against him, but not forcefully. His other hand tangled into her hair, tugging it gently.

"Yes." It was the only thing she could say before he spun her around and kissed her. Slow, deep, hungry. She responded in kind, returning the kiss with just as much hunger and passion, tangling her hands in his wild orange hair.

He pulled away, nipping at her bottom lip playfully before resting his chin on the top of her head. "You haven't come back yet," he said, wistfully.

"I am here right now," she declared. "I am yours." He smiled, albeit painfully, down at her upturned face.

"My Alice….You won't be mine…not until you come back." He pulled away from her. That single movement was enough to tell her that he was leaving.

"Wait!" she cried, reaching out to grab his hand, to prevent his departure. But there was nothing there. He was gone, if he had even truly been there in the first place.

"I don't know where you are," her eyes filled with tears as she spun around in a circle, trying to find him.

"Listen to your heart; it will tell you," the words came from far away, as if from a long tunnel…or rabbit hole. "Find me, Alice. Find me again, and we can be together…forever."

"I don't even remember your name!" she wailed into the nothingness around her, grabbing handfuls of her hair and tugging in frustration.

When Alice Kinsley woke from her tumultuous dreams that morning, there were a multitude of thoughts running rampant. Namely, who was this odd looking stranger in her dream, why was he so familiar, and what was his name. She pressed her finger against her lip, which still tingled from her dream lover's kiss.


	2. Chapter 2

There was a difference that she could sense almost immediately once she recognized that she was dreaming. The feel of the whole place was off in a sense. She turned around, looking to see if her dream lover was there. Nothing. It always started with nothing. But, she was comforted because she knew before too long, he would appear. So, she waited.  
The hands that fell upon her shoulders were rough and bruising. A startled cry burst from her lips as she was spun around, his fingers digging into her flesh. The man may have looked the same .but he was different. His eyes were bright orange and flashing while his lips twisted into a caricature of the smile she remembered from before.  
Her eyes widened in panic, as she tried to break from his punishing grip. He laughed loudly, cruelly at her distress.  
Did ye think there d be no repercussions, lass? His voice was rougher, tinged with a Scottish accent. Did ye think ye could just leave, and nary a thing twould matter?! He gave her a rough shake. Ye LEFT and FORGOT AND EXPECT IT TO BE ALL SUNSHINE AND ROSES TWEEN US! He screamed into her face, not caring that he was hurting her. A strangled whimper came from her throat as she sucked in a big breath of air. He seemed to sense that she was about to scream, so he clamped his hand tightly over her mouth. None of that now, he growled into her ear. Ye listen to me, and listen well you silly bint .Ye are to come back to Underland, within a fortnight. Ye find a way, or I swear by the Gods I will haunt yer every waking moment. Ye come back and FIND US! She struggled against him before kicking him sharply in the shin. He let go of her with a muttered curse, grabbing at his injury while she took off running...running into the nothingness. She had to escape this madman and fast. He followed of course, and before too long, had hold of her again; this time, by her long blonde locks. He jerked her down to the ground by her hair, ignoring her pleas and cries of pain. When he snapped open the razor, she froze. He is going to kill me, she thought, tears streaming down her face. He smirked down at her as he tested the edge against his thumb.  
Nay lass, I ll not be slaying ye but I will make damned sure ye won t be forgetting my name any time soon! It was almost as if he had read her mind. Before she could even comprehend anything, he had hold of her arm, jerking it painfully, holding it up from her prone form. The razor bit into her skin a total of seven times, each swipe causing her to scream and try to pull away.  
His task finished, he let go of her arm and laughed as she did her best to scramble away from him. Try forgetting us now, wench, He laughed.  
Alice sat up in the bed, gasping for air, sweat pouring from her body, and heart pounding in her chest. She looked around, disoriented, waiting for him to spring up at any moment, from any place. She held the covers up to her chest, as if they could protect her from another attack. And then, she noticed the pain in her arm. Alice looked down and saw carved neatly into the flesh of her right forearm (the same arm from her dream, of course) was a name, still weeping blood. While the cuts were not deep, they would more then likely scar. No this is not possible, she bit her lower lip as she inspected the damage. But, the evidence was there, big and ugly .the name Tarrant. 


End file.
